Diving
The Pacific has the country's best diving as it has less coral than the caribbean and plenty of big fish, whales, manta rays, turtles and much much more. The dive centers in Flamingo usually take people to the Santa Catalina Islands, about five miles off shore.
Pacific
The most popular Pacific diving area is the northwest, where dive centers in Playa del Coco, Ocotal and Hermosa offer trips to several spots in the Culebra Bay and the Bat Islands (Islas Murcielagos), to the northwest, where divers often see sharks and manta rays. The dive center in Flamingo usually takes people to Santa Catalina Island, about five miles off shore, which is another good spot to see whale and hammerhead sharks, manta rays, and other big fish. The best visibility and water temperatures in the northwest are found from June to September, though the conditions can change from day to day. There is good snorkeling in Curu National Wildlife Refuge, and near the beach resorts of Tambor and Montezuma. There is also usually good snorkeling off the second beach in Manuel Antonio National Park, and around the points and islands between Dominical and Marino Ballena National Park. However, the best diving off the Pacific coast is found at several underwater reefs near Cano Island, which can be explored on dive trips offered by some of the lodges in nearby Drake Bay. Contrary to the northwest, the best visibility in the waters around Cano occurs during the dry season, though the water tends to be pretty clear year round.
The Catalina Islands
The Catalina Islands are called "Cleaning Stations" by marine biologists because large marine life like Whale Sharks, Manta Rays, and other big fish spend a decent time circleing these islands to have smaller fish that gather here eat off any unwanted barnacles.
